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What do you do after being a trailblazer for over 50 years? If you’re Twinkie Clark, you keep inspiring. On November 15, 2024, she celebrated her 70th birthday in Michigan with a room full of love, gratitude, and music.
Twinkie has never been one to celebrate herself. “I never do anything in my name,” she shared in an interview with Detroit Free Press. “I’ve always gone to other people’s events.” But this time, she let her light shine. Her event, held at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, was led by her longtime collaborator Damien Sneed and featured a full orchestra. Together, they reimagined gospel classics with a classical twist.
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It’s no exaggeration to say Twinkie changed gospel music forever. From her virtuosic skills on the Hammond B-3 organ to her genre-blending songwriting, she redefined what gospel could sound like. As Sneed, who has worked with her for nearly 25 years, put it: “She’s one of a kind.”
Her iconic hit “You Brought the Sunshine” is proof. Inspired by Stevie Wonder’s “Master Blaster,” the track reached the clubs, R&B charts, and, yes, even some bars. “We weren’t expecting to cross over,” Twinkie admitted to Detroit Free Press. “But as time went along, people started receiving it—even church folks who once criticized us.”
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That night, the celebration felt more like a reunion of all the people her music has touched. The atmosphere reflected her humility and commitment to ministry. “Every artist loves her and has been influenced by Twinkie,” Sneed said. And it’s true. From Beyoncé and Jay-Z to Mary J. Blige, her fingerprints are everywhere.
At 70, Twinkie Clark’s work remains as vibrant as ever. And she’s not done yet. How do you celebrate a living legend? By reminding her that her well will never run dry.